Colin Montgomerie: playing on Senior Tour has helped my believe I can win again - and I still have a major itch

My old caddie, Alastair McLean is back on the bag and on Thursday, once again,
we will try to win our first major when we tee it up alongside Freddie
Couples and Mark O’Meara at the best links course in England.

Golden oldie: defending champion Fred Couples will be a threat in the Senior Open at Royal BirkdalePhoto: GETTY IMAGES

Yes, you could say I am a wee bit excited about my debut in the Senior Open at Royal Birkdale.

The butterflies will not flutter as much as they might, because I already have two seniors events under my belt in the States since I turned 50 last month.

I never expected it to be easy, but the Senior Players Championship and the Senior US Open opened my eyes to the height of the standard. Kenny Perry won those two majors with 64s and 63s and I am just glad he has not come over to Birkdale – the rest of us might have a chance.

I finished in a tie for ninth and a tie for 30th in those events but, in truth, I went in with the same attitude I’ll carry today – I have an opportunity to win. I had stopped believing that on the regular European Tour. I was merely hoping to play well.

Do not get me wrong, I never expected the seniors circuit to be a pushover; anything but. The likes of Freddie, Kenny, Bernhard Langer and Co are still damned good competitors and I would have to enjoy a brilliant week to succeed. But because of the difference in driving distances, I no longer feel it is forlorn.

I was getting used to playing two shots in a row against the younger guys. I would be third to play off the tee because I’d bogeyed the previous hole – and then be the next to play because I was the shortest.

I think a lot of the more mature players on the Tour fall into the trap of trying to find too much length in the vain hope of keeping up with say, a Nicolas Colsaerts.

I certainly did and lost my rhythm, but can feel it returning and am getting back to playing to my strengths of fairways and greens. I just need my short-game to return.

I did not putt well in my first two Seniors events and what I saw when partnering the likes of David Frost and Bernhard is they remain very accomplished on and around the greens. I have to improve in that area if I am to contend in the majors.

Let us hope it happens these next four days. I have a fantastic draw.

Freddie is the defending champion while Mark, of course, won The Open here at Birkdale in 1998. If I can hang in there with them in the first two rounds I will definitely be in contention. That is my aim.

It will be special to have Alastair alongside me. I heard he was jet-skiing in North Carolina and decided that was a big waste of his talents – I’ve seen him jet ski and he’s rubbish!

Alastair was with me for all eight of my Order of Merits, for 25 of my 31 Tour wins and for so many of my close brushes in the majors. After what we’ve been through together, it would be great for his sake, as well as mine, if I could finally win a major. He knows me inside out and will be a huge help.

Maybe he will recognise a calmer more relaxed golfer – both on and off the course. Do not get me wrong, I want to win, I really do. But there is not the “need” to win a major that there was when I was in my pomp between 1993 and 2000 and again when I had my resurgence in the mid-2000s.

I am not as intense and my desire and my ambition have been reduced to the extent of allowing me to playing better than I have for a while. Honestly, I am hitting it tee to green as well as ever.

If it came to pass would it mean as much to me as a regular major would have? I am not sure it is possible to compare the two and I do not see the point either.

I know what it would mean to me and have seen what it has meant to a legend like Freddie, who has a Masters to his name. At the World Golf Hall of Fame, he placed the replica of his Senior Open Trophy as his main exhibit – that is how proud he is of that victory.

As golfers we are very fortunate to have this second chance. As seniors we are representing the game’s biggest group – more over-50s play golf than under-50s.

So I will tee it up at this amazing venue on Thursday feeling privileged. And yes, still with that major itch to scratch.